Don't get too attached to your iPod: It may be completely replaced in the near future by green portable media players. OK, so green PMPs still have a long way to go. As David Pogue of The New York Times said, "...next to the highly refined software and hardware design of the iPod and the Zune, these players look positively Neanderthal." Still, I have to give their manufacturers some props for envisaging a green future for PMPs.

One such eco-friendly PMP is the Media Street eMotion Solar. Available in 1 to 4 GB variants and selling for $160 to $190; it can open up, as you can see In the picture, to reveal two solar panels. Exposure to sunlight for 12 to 15 hours can recharge the battery for nine hours of playtime. But even not having been recharged, it can still play music as long as you're under direct sunlight.

What's great about the Media Street eMotion Solar is that aside from its basic functionalities, you can plug a secondary USB gadget in for charging--that includes phones, PDAs, and other music players. Also, so as to make full use of its 3.5-inch screen and Game Boy-like buttons, it comes with four classic Nintendo games.

To complete the features list, eMotion Solar has built-in FM radio, expandable memory card slot, and LED flashlight. Sure, you have to painstakingly transfer files to your player manually, not to mention the need to convert videos to that one format it can read (AVI). But I believe that something like the eMotion Solar is perfect for backpackers, and could pave the way to a more advanced, greener future for the electronics industry. Top

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